I'm curious about how well glass block resists gunfire.  Has anyone out there ever tried shooting a block?  If I were lucky enough to be able to go shoot in the desert I'd try it myself and report the results.

I have a copy of an interesting book, Combat Loads (can't recall the author) who does a variety of testing on various calibers, rifles and ranges and reports the results in his book.  Although I wouldn't call his approach scientific, his results were a bit of an eye opener.  

For example, he reported that the .223 cartridge would not shoot through a concrete block (construction block).  It made a tiny hole on one side and sprayed lead fragments on the other inside wall of the block.  

Same problem shooting through a car door, few .223 rounds penetrated through the outer and inner skin.  Even windshields can deflect this round.

No idea how a .223 round would work on glass block.  If I recall correctly, you must exceed 2700 fps to retain fragmentation velocity.  On shorter barreled rifles, this can be a problem.  Using SS109 or some other steel core would give you better penetration results on hardened targets.

I'd get myself out to the desert and try this!

Well, it would depend on how thick the glass is. Glass is able to absorb quite a lot of energy because of the way it spiders and the fact that most glass that would be thick enough to form a block has reinforcing plastic sheets inside, like windshield glass or bank window glass. Ive seen a sheet of security glass with what looked like a .45 slug imbedded in it. I would estimate its thickness at about 2.5".

Now, I know for a fact that a 55gr .223 bullet will pass through a cinder block if that is in fact what H.B. is talking about. There is a place I regularly shoot at that has hundreds of cinder blocks and I set up a couple of them in a row and the first one was smashed and the second was broken half way and the second wall of the block had been impacted but didnt break. I then set up a single block with a milk jug of water behind it and the 55gr fmj slug went through the block and into the jug of water, exploding it. It did however make two definate entrance holes about .5" apart though I dont know if they were both parts of the bullet or possibly part of the cinder block.

I also shot completely through an old ambulance (like the one on ghostbusters) with 62gr green tip ammo with the first shot. The second entered the door and was deflected by something and impacted the windshield but did not penetrate. I would say about 75% of the green tip made some type of exit hole out of the opposite side of the car.

As for the windshield, I would say all of the rounds I fired penetrated, but I was very close and shooting at almost 90 degrees to the angle of the glass. Plus it was already shattered by the time I got to it from previous rounds hitting it so this conclusion may not be very valid.

Michael

Go check out the rounds designed by TAC-ORD in conjunction with Lost River Ballistics.
If you call TAC-ORD for info, be sure to tell them that Ron Jones at Tactical Precision sent you.
Here's their number.  208-288-1450 and you can check their website, with pictures, and info on the tests at  www.tac-ord.com.

Hope this helps a little.

The information at http://www.tac-ord.com was interesting, but I'm thinking more of how well glass block would resist garden variety pistol and rifle rounds.

The glass block I have in mind is the 8x8x4 (?)inch stuff they sell at home improvement stores.  It's not a solid block, but it is heavy.

Ponyboy, I'm surprised that a .223 round would penetrate so well through cinder block.  I really wish I could go out into the boonies to try try shooting a few myself.  

[url]www.tac-ord.com[/url]